Electric switch



June 44, 1923. 4,459,494

' R. B. BENJAMIN I ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed May 19 1919 I I INVENTOR.

' BY f f TTORNEYS.

Patented June 19, 1923.

REUBEN B. BENJ'AIMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOJR. TO BENJAMINELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION 013' ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed May 19, 1919. Serial No. 298,240.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJA MIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisspecification.

The present invention relates to electric switches and more particularlyto switches .of simple construction which are manually operated to makeand break electric circuits.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a switch of few andrugged parts which will be extremely compact.

Another object is to so construct and arrange the parts that the switchwill be efficient in operation and yet cheaply and readily manufactured.

It is also desirable to provide a switch having these characteristics inwhich there shall be a snap action of the movable contact althoughcertain features of the invention may be practiced without the provisionof such snap action. In carrying out my invention I provide a switchwhich is adapted for use in many locations but in providing the same Ihave particularly in mind the production of a switch for use upon thedash board of an automobile.

lVith these general objects in view, we

may now proceed to a consideration of the specific form of the inventionwhich is presented in the following detailed description and theaccompanying drawing. The scope of the invention will be particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In said drawing, Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of a switchconstructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on a plane indicated by the line3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on a plane indicated by the line 44of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on a plane indicated by the line5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the main switch supporting member; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the fixed contacts of the switch.Throughout these views like characters refer to like parts.

Referring tothe drawin in detail, 10 designates the main supportingmember of the switch parts. This member is composed of any suitableinsulating material, such as one of the many insulating compounds now Onthe market. This member 10 is provided with a central chamber 11 whichis open at its forward end. The member 10 extends through a circularaperture in the dash board or other support 12. An escutcheon plate 13is secured to the front of the dash board by screws 14 and to theinsulating member 10 by screws 15. Each screw 15 is threaded into a nut16 which is positioned in the member 10 near the bottom of the screwhole. Preferably, this nut is placed in position at the time the member10 is molded.

The fixed switch contacts 17 and 18 are located in the chamber 11 of theinsulating member 10 and connection is established between them by amovable bridging contact 19. The fixed contacts have the shapeillustrated in Fig. 7, wherein the contact 17 is shown provided with aterminal extension 20. The contact 18 is provided with a similarextension 21. The edges of the contacts 17 and 18 are curved asindicated at 22 so as to properly guide the bridging contact as 1tpasses into engagement with them. The contact 17 is secured in place bya screw 23 which passes through openings in the member 10, extension 20,and terminal plate 24. The screw is threaded into plate 20 which thusserves as a nut. A similar screw 25 and plate 26 are used to hold thecontact 18 in position. Connection may be made with the contacts 17 and18 through the terminal plates 24 and 26. Each of these plates isprovided with a binding screw 24: which cooperates with a projection 25when connecting the bared end of the circuit wire. To preventinterference between the bared portions of the wires which are securedto the switch terminals, I provide an insulating barrier 27 whichoccupies a position be-' tween the terminals of the switch and extendsoutward a short distance from the main portion of the insulating member10. This barrier is preferably composed of the same material as member10 and is preferably integral With it.

The bridging member 19 is made up of two outer plates and an interveningriveting members, as clearly illustrated in Fig.

ing

will be closed. If then actuating member 35 be pushed These variousparts 5. This bridging contact 19 is supported at the end of two arms28. The bridging member 19 is insulated from these arms by a suitableinsulating sleeve 29 and washers 30.

are assembled as illustrated in Fig. 5, and then the head of the rivetof the member 19 is formed so as to hold them all compactly together.The opposite end of the arms 28 are spaced apart as clearly illustratedin Fig. 3. These arms are notched at their endsso as to fit over thepivotal portions 31 of the U-shaped member 32. The members 28 and 32therefore have a common pivotal axis. These members constitute links ofa toggle by which a snap action is given to the movements of thebridging contact 19. The spaced arms 28 are connected by a pin or struckup portion 33 which serves as a connection for one end of a coiledspring 34: whose other end is secured to the center-sof the togglemember 32. The pivotal extensions 31 of the member 32 rest in recessesin the face of the insulating member 10 and are held in place therein bythe escutcheon plate 13. In this Way the insulating member 10 andescutcheon plate 13 form a support for the pivotal extensions 31.

The handle or actuating member of the switch is provided by abell-shaped or cupshaped member 35. This member extends outward throughan aperture in the escutcheon plate 13 and is pivotally mounted on thepivotal extensions 31. The open end of the member 35 is toward thechamber 11 and the construction is such that the snap action mechanismincluding the toggle members 28 and 32 with the spring 34, are locatedwithin the chamber 11 and the interior of the member 35. By thisconstruction a very compact arrangement is provided. The upper and loweredges of the open end of the member 35 are provided with lips orextensions 36 and 37 which engage the adjacent edges of the escutcheonplate 13 to limit the to and fro movements of the actuatmember 35. Theseextensions in this way serve as stops. The member 32, which consists ofa bent piece of wire, is shaped so as to closely fit within theinnermost portion of the bell-shaped member 35 and consequentl'themember 32 cannot move relative'to t e member 35 but must move withit.

In operation it will be seen that if the parts are in the positionillustrated in Fig. 1, the circuit between the terminals of the switchthe outer end of the Y downward, the parts 32 and 35 will move about thepivots 31 and the spring 34 will be stretched; This, wi. continue untilthe point of contact between the members 28 and 32 and the center, lineof the pring 34 pass. When this occurs the spring will be free to exertits pull upon the arms 28 and thereby uickly throw the bridging contact19 to its open position. It will be apparent that an upward movem'ent ofthe actuating member 35 will pro-, duce a reverse action. It will beseen that the curvature of the actuating member 35 at the points 38 issuch that the opening through the escutcheon plate is always filled anda uniform clearance exists between these two members. It will also beseen that the lips 36 and 37 upon the actuating member 35 engage thearms 28 in their extreme positions and thus serve as stops to limit themovements of the bridging contact 19.

The switch parts which conduct electric current are composed of copperor other good conducting material, the other switch parts, except theinsulating members heretofore referred to, are also preferably composedof metal and in most cases consist of punchings, as will be apparentfrom an inspection of the drawing. By this construction the initial costof the switch is reduced to minimum without in any way decreasing fromits ruggedness or efficiency in service.

It will, of course, be understood that in carrying out my invention manyminor changes may be made in the structure shown and described withoutin any way departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore aimto cover all such changes by the terms of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is:

1. In an electric switch, a supporting member, fixed and movablecontacts, snapaction mechanism comprising a part terminating in pivotalextensions positioned in recesses in the face of said supporting member,an escutcheon of said supporting member to hold said extensions inplace, and a hollow actuating member for said switch embracing andenclosing portions of said snap-action mechanism. v

2. In an electric switch, a supporting member, fixed'and movablecontacts, snapaction mechanism comprising a part terminating in pivotalextensions positioned in recesses in the face of said supporting member,an escutcheon plate secured to the face of said supporting member tohold said extensions in place, and a hollow actuating member for saidswitch'mounted to rotate plate secured to the face about said extensionsand embracing and enclosing said part of said snap-action mech-. anism.

3. In an electric switch, an insulatin suporting member having achamber, a ridging contact movable to and fro in said chamber,cooperating fixed contacts adjacent to opposing walls of said chamber,terminal extensions for said fixed contacts extending from said chamberto the outer walls of said supporting member, and an insulating barrierbetween said terminal extensions projecting outward from said supportingmember.

4:. A switch mechanism comprising an oscillatable switch blade, a hollowhandle for actuating said switch blade, a bent wire having a U-shapedportion located in said hollow handle, and journal portions extendinglaterally from said U-shaped portion to the outside of said hollowhandle, bearings for said journal portions, whereby said hollow handleis oscillatably mounted, and a spring connected to said U-shaped portionand said switch blade.

5. A switch mechanism comprising an os-' cillatable switch blade, ahollow handle for actuating said switch blade, a bent wire having aU-shaped portion located in said hollow handle, and journal portionsextending laterally from said U-shaped portion to the outside of saidhollow handle, bearings for said journal portions, whereby said hollowhandle is oscillatably mounted, and a spring connected to said U-shapedportion and said switch blade, said switch blade being oscillatablymounted on said laterally extending journal portions.

6. A switch mechanism comprising a switch blade oscillatable back andforth, a

spring oscillatable back and forth past a 30 dead center to causeoscillation of said switch to said handle on the opposite side of saidaxis, said spring extendin into that part of said cup-like handle outsie of said housing.

8. A switch mechanism comprisi-n a switch blade oscillatable back andfort a spring oscillatable back and forth past a dead center to causeoscillation of said switch blade, a cover-plate in front of said switchmechanism, and a hollow cup-like handle extending through said coverplate for shifting said spring back and forth, said springer,

extendin into that part of the hollow cuplike han 1e in ,front of saidcover plate.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub- 7 scribed my name.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN.

